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The Currency of Energy Exchange

Have you ever given any thought to how we came to use money? No, no, no… this is not a blog post about economics. Rather, this is a topic that goes back to ancient times. Our modern world chooses to trade money for goods and services, but it wasn’t always a monetary exchange. It’s quite a simple concept, actually. Give and take is an energy exchange.

Bartering is an old method of exchange that has been around since before money was invented. In ancient cultures, people would exchange things like salt, spices, furs, and silks for goods and services. Trading for goods or services changed and expanded the world, bringing people from different cultures together. Every time we interact with another person, we exchange energy.

image from google images

Why am I writing about energy exchange on this holistic wellness blog, you may ask? This is a concept that comes up occasionally in my professional practice as a massage therapist and energy worker. Specifically, I’m writing about the concept of energy healing services and the debate on whether it’s acceptable to charge for such services. There are some folks in the Reiki community who disagree with charging for Reiki healing services. While Reiki is a sacred energy healing work, and giving complimentary sessions would be very generous, it is not realistic to practice Reiki for free, if bodywork is your job, life’s focus, or livelihood. Obviously, our modern society exists on a monetary exchange and practitioners need to be able to support themselves.

Dr. Mikao Usui, the man who re-discovered Reiki Energy over a century ago, had an experience that showed him the important value of an energy exchange. Dr. Usui worked at a beggar’s colony, practicing Reiki Healing sessions on the people who lived there, to help them heal and/or regain health. These were people who were ill, disabled, orphaned, or homeless. After some time there, Dr. Usui discovered that the people he brought healing to in his Reiki sessions would go right back out after they had been healed of their ailments, and continue to beg. When he asked these people why they went back to begging, they told him that it was just easier to do that than to go do any labor or actual work. This upset Dr. Usui very much. So much so, that he left the colony and returned to Japan. After some contemplation, it occurred to Dr. Usui that by giving his energy sessions to those clients for free, they didn’t particularly value the services he provided. He decided then and there that there must be some sort of energy exchange for the clients to see value in the Reiki work. From that time on, Dr. Usui would accept payment for his Reiki healing services in the form of a gift, no matter how big or small. Was he charging for the energy itself? NO. He was charging for his time, expenses, wisdom, experiences, etc. His time and wisdom had value and worth.

image from google images

In any healing service, we need to recognize exactly what we are charging for. Reiki energy itself is available to everyone! All someone needs to practice Reiki is an open mind, an open heart, and a desire to help people; one also needs to receive an attunement and learn how to practice Reiki from a Reiki Master. That being said, those who have made a committment to Reiki healing work have spent time, energy, and money to learn, study, and practice this healing art over time. Some of us have even created a sacred, safe, serene treatment room for you to come relax and receive this healing energy in, which requires an overhead we pay for. When someone charges a fee for a Reiki session, or any service, they are charging for their time, wisdom, and commitment to the practice. Just as a doctor pays for medical school and the overhead to run an office, so should any body worker or healer. Your visit may not result in a tangible, take home item like a container of pills, but you still receive a service, energy, and time.

image from google images

And what about value? If you just gave everyone your services for free, you’d have clients lined up around the block, but would you feel your services were truly valued? I’ve seen this concept firsthand in a tangible way at community events where I’ve offered chair massage services. I’ve experimented with this very idea of energy exchange. When I have offered free chair massage at an event, I do get that line of clients around the block that want a free massage! But do they remember the name of my business? Do they intend to make an appointment and come in for a session in the future? Not most of them. When I’ve offered chair massage for a small donation rather than free, maybe I don’t have as many people lined up, but they are more serious about the treatment, and they seem to value the service more. And truth be told, I capture more new clients when I ask for a donation rather than give service for free. And let’s face it, all the elements for me to attend these events cost me time and money.. that comfortable massage chair, disposable face cradle covers to keep things sanitary, the banner, the business cards, the time away from my studio.. those elements cost me time and energy and money. So when you see a therapist offering chair massage for a small donation, please don’t get offended.. we have bills to pay and energy to rejuvenate just like everyone else.

recent event where I participated as a vendor

The bottom line is this: Every time you interact with someone, it’s an exchange of energy. Even healing sessions where you don’t walk out of the treatment room with something tangible in your hand. When a practitioner charges what she is worth, the service becomes more valuable to the recipient and the practitioner feels the value in her work. Practitioners are worthy of receiving compensation and an exchange of energy for the services they provide, just as any other service professional does. It is perfectly acceptable to charge for Reiki healing services. Anything less is an unbalanced exchange of energy, which will eventually deplete the party giving and not receiving.

image from google images

Every time you interact with someone, it’s an energy exchange. Keep your balance.

Thanks for stopping by to read my words! Have you received Reiki or Energy healing services? We offer Massage, Reiki, Crystal Healing and more in our White Lotus Wellness Studio! Click here to connect to our online appointment scheduler! Ever thought about taking Reiki classes to learn the art of energy healing? Contact me at info@whitelotuswellnessstudio.com to inquire about upcoming Reiki class schedule information.